KTVA 11Health – KTVA 11http://www.ktva.com
The Voice of AlaskaFri, 09 Dec 2016 05:37:50 +0000en-UShourly1A grim tally soars: More than 50,000 overdose deaths in UShttp://www.ktva.com/grim-tally-soars-50000-overdose-deaths-us-516/
http://www.ktva.com/grim-tally-soars-50000-overdose-deaths-us-516/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 05:08:27 +0000http://www.ktva.com/?p=147907
NEW YORK (AP) – Health officials say more than 50,000 Americans died from drug overdoses last year, the most ever. The disastrous tally has been pushed to new heights by soaring abuse of heroin and prescription painkillers, a class of drugs known as opioids. The new numbers were part of the annual tally of deaths […]

]]>
NEW YORK (AP) – Health officials say more than 50,000 Americans died from drug overdoses last year, the most ever.

The disastrous tally has been pushed to new heights by soaring abuse of heroin and prescription painkillers, a class of drugs known as opioids. The new numbers were part of the annual tally of deaths and death rates released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Overall, overdose deaths rose 11 percent last year, to 52,404. By comparison, the number of people who died in car crashes was 37,757.

]]>
http://www.ktva.com/grim-tally-soars-50000-overdose-deaths-us-516/feed/0Getting help with insurance: Some Alaskans can save money on health care, expert sayshttp://www.ktva.com/getting-help-insurance-alaskans-can-save-money-health-care-expert-says-917/
http://www.ktva.com/getting-help-insurance-alaskans-can-save-money-health-care-expert-says-917/#respondWed, 07 Dec 2016 06:14:30 +0000http://www.ktva.com/?p=147655
Right now, about 16,000 Alaskans who buy health insurance through healthcare.gov get tax credits to help pay for coverage. One expert says more than 30,000 others could also get help if they knew to ask. For those in need of health insurance starting on Jan. 1, the enrollment deadline is Dec. 15. Cherise Fowler, the outreach and […]

Right now, about 16,000 Alaskans who buy health insurance through healthcare.gov get tax credits to help pay for coverage. One expert says more than 30,000 others could also get help if they knew to ask.

For those in need of health insurance starting on Jan. 1, the enrollment deadline is Dec. 15. Cherise Fowler, the outreach and enrollment coordinator for Alaska Primary Care Association, joined KTVA 11’s Emily Carlson to discuss how Alaskans can get help finding and paying for health care coverage by then.

Fowler explained that tax subsidies are available that can reduce the overall cost of premiums. She also said there are ways to get a lower deductible and even assistance for prescription drugs.

She encouraged anyone looking for help understanding the Alaska health care marketplace to visit the Get Covered Alaska website or call 1-844-752-6725.

]]>
http://www.ktva.com/getting-help-insurance-alaskans-can-save-money-health-care-expert-says-917/feed/0Missing just a couple of hours of sleep doubles car crash riskhttp://www.ktva.com/missing-just-couple-hours-sleep-doubles-car-crash-risk-750/
http://www.ktva.com/missing-just-couple-hours-sleep-doubles-car-crash-risk-750/#respondTue, 06 Dec 2016 23:21:19 +0000http://www.ktva.com/?p=147594
You may think you can get by OK in a busy week on just a few hours of sleep and big cups of coffee, but a new report sheds light on just how dangerous sleep deprivation can be. According to the research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, drivers who get just one to […]

]]>
You may think you can get by OK in a busy week on just a few hours of sleep and big cups of coffee, but a new report sheds light on just how dangerous sleep deprivation can be.

According to the research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, drivers who get just one to two hours less than the recommended seven hours of sleep in a 24-hour period nearly double their risk for a car crash, according to new research from the AAA.

Furthermore, the report reveals that drivers who miss 2-3 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period more than quadrupled their risk of a crash — the same crash risk the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration associates with drunk driving.

“You cannot miss sleep and still expect to be able to safely function behind the wheel,” Dr. David Yang, executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, said in a statement. “Our new research shows that a driver who has slept for less than five hours has a crash risk comparable to someone driving drunk.”

The report is based on the analysis of a representative sample from the NHTSA’s National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey of 7,234 drivers involved in 4,571 crashes. Each crash involved at least one vehicle that was towed from the scene and resulted in emergency medical services being dispatched to the scene.

Investigators looked at a number of factors that could have contributed to the crash, including errors committed by drivers, vehicle mechanical failures, and environmental conditions. They also asked the drivers how many hours they had slept in the 24 hours before the crash, their usual daily amount of sleep, and whether or not they had changed their sleep schedule recently.

The analysis showed that the crash risk for sleep-deprived drivers increased steadily when compared to drivers who slept the recommended seven hours a night or more.

Specifically, the results found that drivers who got:

Six to seven hours of sleep had a 1.3 times the crash risk

Five to six hours of sleep had a 1.9 times the crash risk

Four to five hours of sleep had a 4.3 times the crash risk

Less than four hours of sleep had a 11.5 times the crash risk

When compared to drivers who said that they’d slept at least their usual amount in the past 24 hours, drivers who reported they had slept:

One to two hours less than usual had 1.3 times the crash rate

Two to three hours less than usual had 3.0 times the crash rate

Three to four hours less than usual had 2.1 times the crash rate

Four or more hours less than usual had 10.2 times the crash rate

While the overwhelming majority of drivers surveyed say they believed driving while drowsy is completely unacceptable behavior, nearly one in three admitted to doing so at least once in the past month.

Are there warning signs you’re too drowsy to drive safely? Having trouble keeping your eyes open, drifting from lanes or not remembering the last few miles driven are all reasons for concern.

Yet, alarmingly, more than half of drivers involved in fatigue-related crashes experienced no symptoms before falling asleep behind the wheel.

Dr. Erich Voigt, chief of the division of general/sleep otolaryngology at NYU Langone, advises that drivers should not rely on their bodies to provide warning signs that they are too tired to drive.

“It’s a matter of being honest with yourself and perhaps having someone else drive or if you’re traveling with someone, have them look for the signs of you being too sleepy,” he told CBS News. “Or take a cab or public transportation. Or don’t take the trip at all.”

]]>
http://www.ktva.com/missing-just-couple-hours-sleep-doubles-car-crash-risk-750/feed/0Alaska observes World AIDS Dayhttp://www.ktva.com/alaska-marks-world-aids-day-865/
http://www.ktva.com/alaska-marks-world-aids-day-865/#respondFri, 02 Dec 2016 05:31:54 +0000http://www.ktva.com/?p=147098
Thursday is World AIDS Day, a time to remember those lost and support those living with the disease and commit to preventing its spread. The Four A’s, Alaska’s AIDS support group, says it currently serves around 260 people in Alaska who live with HIV or AIDS. The group also works to educate people about prevention and the importance […]

Thursday is World AIDS Day, a time to remember those lost and support those living with the disease and commit to preventing its spread.

The Four A’s, Alaska’s AIDS support group, says it currently serves around 260 people in Alaska who live with HIV or AIDS. The group also works to educate people about prevention and the importance of getting tested.

Laura Herman, director of development for Four A’s, says there’s still a lot of misinformation about how the disease spreads.

“Stigma is still very real. There’s a lot of misinformation about how you get HIV,” said Herman. “The only way you get HIV is through blood to blood contact, sexual behaviors or mom to baby.”

New treatments have also proven effective in slowing the spread of HIV. It’s no longer as deadly as it was in the 1980s and 90s. Herman says some forget the risk is real.

“Most people think that HIV is not as issue anymore. We still see 40,000 Americans are getting HIV every year and it is a continuing crisis of folks who don’t know they have HIV, or who potentially passing it on to their partners or other friends,” she said.

Diane Timberlake learned she was HIV positive in 2004. She said while her initial reaction was fear, she has since learned to live with the disease.

“I thought it was a death sentence, but then I’ve learned, since I’ve been here, I can see that it’s not a death sentence. It’s about making the right choices,” she said.

Timberlake said she thinks there should be more done to educate people about the disease, to make them understand it doesn’t discriminate who it impacts.

“The disease doesn’t go by your race or your color or how fat or skinny you are, anything like that. It can affect anybody,” she said.

Four A’s works to prevent the spread of HIV by providing free testing, condoms and a needle exchange program to prevent drug users from sharing needles. They expect to hand out 600,000 clean needles this year and dispose of even more, reducing the accidental stick risk in the community.

]]>
http://www.ktva.com/alaska-marks-world-aids-day-865/feed/0Pro-choice groups challenge Alaska’s 40-year-old abortion lawshttp://www.ktva.com/pro-choice-groups-challenge-alaskas-40-year-old-abortion-laws-804/
http://www.ktva.com/pro-choice-groups-challenge-alaskas-40-year-old-abortion-laws-804/#respondThu, 01 Dec 2016 07:13:38 +0000http://www.ktva.com/?p=146946
Reproductive rights groups are suing the state because they think Alaska law unconstitutionally prevents women from having an abortion after the first trimester. It’s a challenge to rules that have been on the books for 40 years. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Planned Parenthood and the Center for Reproductive Rights laid out their challenge […]

Reproductive rights groups are suing the state because they think Alaska law unconstitutionally prevents women from having an abortion after the first trimester. It’s a challenge to rules that have been on the books for 40 years.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Planned Parenthood and the Center for Reproductive Rights laid out their challenge in a press conference Wednesday morning. They say laws written in the 1970s set different rules for abortions performed after the first trimester. It’s those rules the groups are challenging as unconstitutional.

“These regulations and restrictions are medically unnecessary. Abortion is a very safe procedure,” said Tara Rich, legal and policy director for the ACLU Alaska.

In order to perform an abortion after the first trimester, clinics are required to have a second physician consult on the procedure, have a blood supply on hand and have an operating room immediately available. Planned Parenthood said those rules are impossible for outpatient clinics to meet, forcing around 100 women to go to out of state each year for an abortion.

“They have to leave Alaska for three days, they have to have these abortions away from their families, away from their communities, outside in Seattle or Idaho and this is all done on the taxpayer’s dime,” said Joshua Decker, executive director or the ACLU Alaska.

The state pays for women on Medicaid to travel to get an abortion after the first trimester. That’s because the U.S. and Alaska constitutions guarantee women access to abortions. If a woman is not on Medicaid, she foots the bill herself.

Planned Parenthood said 90 percent of Alaska women seeking an abortion get one during the first trimester, in state. When women wait until the second trimester for an abortion, it’s frequently for health reasons.

“Later in pregnancy, it’s frequently because of complications, like fetal abnormalities,” said Jessica Cher, Alaska public affairs manager for Planned Parenthood. “Women in Alaska should be able to make the pregnancy decisions that’s best for her without the interference of archaic restrictions.”

Pro-life Alaska Sen. John Coghill said it concerns him that 100 women every year travel for care.

“Anything that affects 100 women in Alaska is significant, so yes. That is also 100 young lives that are also affected,” he said. “I think people need to keep remembering that.”

Coghill said Alaska’s laws bear looking at. They were passed before the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade in 1973 protected women’s abortion rights. He also wants to protect the fetus.

“I’ve tried to work within those rules to protect that life as much as possible, showing that the science of earlier court decisions is different than the science of present day,” Coghill said.

He said despite the many issues facing the Legislature this session, he thinks it would be wise for lawmakers to look at the suit and try to work with the ACLU and Planned Parenthood to reach an agreement.

KTVA reached out to the state for comment on the lawsuit. The Department of Law said it is still reviewing the complaint and cannot comment at this time.

]]>
http://www.ktva.com/pro-choice-groups-challenge-alaskas-40-year-old-abortion-laws-804/feed/0Strep bacterial strain new to Alaska causes 4 deathshttp://www.ktva.com/invasive-strep-outbreak-claims-lives-4-alaskans-344/
http://www.ktva.com/invasive-strep-outbreak-claims-lives-4-alaskans-344/#respondTue, 29 Nov 2016 22:24:48 +0000http://www.ktva.com/?p=146818
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is keeping a close eye on a new bacterial strain in Alaska that has already killed four people. According to state epidemiologist Dr. Joe McLaughlin, most of the patients have been homeless and most experienced chronic alcohol abuse. McLaughlin said the strain is a form of Group A […]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is keeping a close eye on a new bacterial strain in Alaska that has already killed four people.

According to state epidemiologist Dr. Joe McLaughlin, most of the patients have been homeless and most experienced chronic alcohol abuse. McLaughlin said the strain is a form of Group A Strep that was first detected in Fairbanks this February. Since then the invasive bacteria has caused 28 cases of severe illness — 10 in Fairbanks and 18 in Anchorage. Results are pending on another three suspected cases in Anchorage.

McLaughlin said people can become very sick when the bacteria invade the body, most often through a wound. And while the risk to the general population is very low, anyone with an infected wound should consider getting it seen.

“If you see signs of infection, it’s particularly important to talk to your health care provider,” McLaughlin urged. “Maybe see your healthcare provider if it looks bad enough. Early, prompt attention to wounds is a very important step to preventing these severe cases of invasive strep.”

In Anchorage, most of the patients have had some contact with the Brother Francis Shelter. Shelter manager Lisa Caldeira said the CDC hadn’t asked them to change any of their practices, but they are trying to educate both clients and staff.

“We on the lookout,” Caldeira said. “The guests at the shelter are already a vulnerable population, so if something makes them even more vulnerable, we are looking out to be on their sidefor their health and safety,”

McLaughlin said most healthy people don’t have to worry, but there are some people who are slightly more at risk. Those include the very old, the very young, and anyone with a compromised immune system or chronic illness. He added there’s no vaccine to prevent infection, but good hygiene can help stop the spread.

]]>
http://www.ktva.com/invasive-strep-outbreak-claims-lives-4-alaskans-344/feed/0Obama signs bill to improve veteran crisis hotlinehttp://www.ktva.com/obama-signs-bill-improve-veteran-crisis-hotline-776/
http://www.ktva.com/obama-signs-bill-improve-veteran-crisis-hotline-776/#respondTue, 29 Nov 2016 01:09:25 +0000http://www.ktva.com/?p=146715
President Barack Obama has signed into law a bill that seeks to ensure all telephone calls and other communications delivered through a Department of Veterans Affairs’ crisis line get answered in a timely manner by a qualified person. The legislation signed Monday comes after federal investigators substantiated allegations that some calls went into a voicemail […]

]]>
President Barack Obama has signed into law a bill that seeks to ensure all telephone calls and other communications delivered through a Department of Veterans Affairs’ crisis line get answered in a timely manner by a qualified person.

The legislation signed Monday comes after federal investigators substantiated allegations that some calls went into a voicemail system and that some veterans didn’t get immediate assistance. Nationally, an average of 22 veterans die by suicide each day.

]]>
http://www.ktva.com/obama-signs-bill-improve-veteran-crisis-hotline-776/feed/0US House to vote on bill aimed at speeding approval of drugshttp://www.ktva.com/us-house-vote-bill-aimed-speeding-approval-drugs-998/
http://www.ktva.com/us-house-vote-bill-aimed-speeding-approval-drugs-998/#respondSat, 26 Nov 2016 20:51:59 +0000http://www.ktva.com/?p=146544
The House plans to vote next week on a $6.3 billion bill aimed at speeding federal approval of drugs and medical devices and boosting biomedical research. The legislation seeks to streamline how federal regulators assess the safety of new treatments and let them reach markets more quickly. It provides new money for the National Institutes […]

]]>
The House plans to vote next week on a $6.3 billion bill aimed at speeding federal approval of drugs and medical devices and boosting biomedical research.

The legislation seeks to streamline how federal regulators assess the safety of new treatments and let them reach markets more quickly. It provides new money for the National Institutes of Health and Food and Drug Administration, including funding for the White House’s cancer moonshot and precision medicine initiatives.

The bill also seeks $1 billion in grants to states to fight opioid abuse.

The chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Fred Upton, announced the draft bill on Saturday along with the Senate panel’s chairman, Sen. Lamar Alexander.

The bill includes provisions pushed in part by Democrats aimed at addressing mental health issues.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

]]>
http://www.ktva.com/us-house-vote-bill-aimed-speeding-approval-drugs-998/feed/0Survey shows Alaska students drinking, smoking lesshttp://www.ktva.com/survey-shows-alaska-students-drinking-smoking-less-453/
http://www.ktva.com/survey-shows-alaska-students-drinking-smoking-less-453/#respondWed, 23 Nov 2016 18:04:31 +0000http://www.ktva.com/?p=146255
A new state survey suggests that Alaska teens are more aware about the dangers of smoking, drinking and doing drugs. The Alaska Youth Risk Behavior Survey, compiled by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services and the Department of Education and Early Development, shows students across the state report declines in smoking, substance use, riding with an […]

A new state survey suggests that Alaska teens are more aware about the dangers of smoking, drinking and doing drugs.

The Alaska Youth Risk Behavior Survey, compiled by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services and the Department of Education and Early Development, shows students across the state report declines in smoking, substance use, riding with an impaired driver, sexual activity and fighting compared data from 2009.

When it comes to smoking, the survey shows around 11 percent of high school students reported smoking cigarettes in the last 30 days. In 2007, that figure was close to 18 percent.

“We know that kids understand now that smoking can be dangerous, that it’s risky to their health. And it’s a very favorable trend,” said Dr. Jay Butler, chief medical officer for the state. “We’re now down to only 11 percent of our teens smoke. That’s down nearly 40 percent 20 years ago.”

Students who reported taking prescription drugs without a prescription totaled 14.6 percent, down from 20.9 percent in 2009, according to the survey.

However, not all the survey results were positive. The survey showed that while the rate of bullying on school property and cyberbullying are on par with the rest of the U.S., at 22.8 percent and 17.7 percent respectively, the number of Alaska students who avoided school because they felt unsafe increased over both the short and long term. The survey also showed that more Alaska students carry a weapon on school property than other U.S. students.

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey is part of an epidemiological monitoring system used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since 1990, according to the state Department of Health and Social Services website. The survey was first implemented in Alaska in 1995.

]]>
http://www.ktva.com/survey-shows-alaska-students-drinking-smoking-less-453/feed/0Students jump for classmate battling heart problemshttp://www.ktva.com/jumping-joe-friends-backing-boy-facing-uphill-battle-623/
http://www.ktva.com/jumping-joe-friends-backing-boy-facing-uphill-battle-623/#respondTue, 22 Nov 2016 01:30:37 +0000http://www.ktva.com/?p=145953
A true bond of friendship is seemingly growing among four boys at Bowman Elementary School in Anchorage. On a recent school day, Bronson Howard, Kael Harrod and Tristan Atherton huddled on a bench outside of the school’s gymnasium with their friend Joseph Farless-Dommek. The boys are supporting Joseph, known by his classmates as Joe, who’ll go through a heart […]

A true bond of friendship is seemingly growing among four boys at Bowman Elementary School in Anchorage. On a recent school day, Bronson Howard, Kael Harrod and Tristan Atherton huddled on a bench outside of the school’s gymnasium with their friend Joseph Farless-Dommek.

The boys are supporting Joseph, known by his classmates as Joe, who’ll go through a heart procedure next month — one of many he’s undergone already in his short life.

According to Joe’s mother, Lydia Farless, her son’s heart valves have been wearing out as he grows. On Dec. 13, Joe said, doctors are planning to repair his aortic and pulmonary valves. If the surgery is unsuccessful, doctors will take him in for his sixth open heart surgery. At the time of his first surgery, Joe was just one month old.

Now, Joe’s friends are supporting him in a couple of ways.

His friends are jumping for Joe, along with many of his classmates. His gym teacher, Sara Paulson, organized a fundraiser for students to jump to help raise money for the family’s travel expenses to Portland, Oregon for his next procedure. The jumping is also heart healthy.

And just as grown-ups rally around their friends who are sick, so do the elementary students around Joe with words of inspiration and comfort.

“I have his and everyone has his back. Whenever we need him, he’ll have our back,” Bronson said.